Josh Harrellson: Great player or greatest player?

by:Matthew Hays03/18/11
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Since the start of the SEC tournament, Josh Harrellson has been on an absolute tear. In the past four games, he has averaged 11.5 points and 8.75 rebounds per contest all while shooting close to 70 percent from the field. The best thing about Josh's play is that it has seemed to get better each game.

Jorts is playing with confidence and a level of passion that seems to have eluded this team for most of the season. Against Princeton, his offensive rebound and put back plus the foul when the Cats were down 44-39 was the catalyst for a 14-4 run that permanently shifted the momentum in UK's favor. His best offensive performance may be yet to come, too.

West Virginia gave UK fits last season with its 1-3-1 zone. This team has the personnel to shoot the Mountaineers out of that zone, though. If the Bob Huggins defense of choice becomes man-to-man, Jorts will have a definite advantage from a size standpoint. Deniz Kilicli is the only West Virginia player, logging significant minutes, that is close to Josh's size, but he isn't known for his defensive prowess and is prone to dumb fouls while defending in the post. Josh didn't log a single minute against West Virginia in the tournament loss last season, but he could end up being a key difference maker in the game this year. The way Josh has been playing, if the Cal decides to establish him as an offensive option, early and often, he has the potential to do a lot of damage. We love Jorts here at KSR and his emergence has been one of the least expected, yet most exciting developments of the season. What do you think? Can Josh Harrellson be the game changer the Cats need in the revenge match against West Virginia on Saturday?

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